


Honor and Affections

by Love_jupiter



Category: Jane and the Dragon
Genre: F/M, Growing Up, Protectiveness, Swords, Unrequited Love, protective gunther
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28826598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Love_jupiter/pseuds/Love_jupiter
Summary: Jane and Gunther have grown into friends over the years, but now Gunther feels that he must protect Jane's honor.
Relationships: Gunther Breech/Jane Turnkey
Kudos: 8





	Honor and Affections

I barely noticed the faint aroma of my most recent craving wafting into the yard from Pepper's kitchen. Though i had been begging her to prepare it for weeks now i could not afford any distractions. I needed to stay focused on my sword and my opponent. Gunther's wooden sword clashed with mine repeatedly as it did most days. And just as most days I did not prepare to lose. He pushed forward with his right leg and I stepped back with my left steadying myself for I knew his goal was to knock me off balance. It was his most overused strategy. Sure it did work every once in a while but not too often. I knew his strategy too well. It had been the same since I was 12 and he was 14.

His shoulders were wider, his body taller and more muscular, and his face was more masculine, but his strategy the same. Though I am not sure that he realizes it. Maybe I should see if I could use it on him. Would he notice.

I swung my wooden weapon fiercely towards his face from above. A move he easily blocked, but that left him with his weight shifted out of proportion. His front leg was the only thing keeping him balanced as his back leg carried most of the weight.

"Is that all you've got Jane?" he smirked.

As we matured, our bickering turned into more of a game than a rivalry. Outside of practice we get along quite nicely. But during so...

Of course that was not all I had, but he had no idea. The dark haired Squire in front of me began to shift his weight to his front leg and I had him right where I wanted. I swiftly grabbed his ankle with my foot and pulled it out from under him. He tried to catch himself but could not and his weapon layed on the ground beside him. He reached for it but I kicked it a few feet away before his long fingers could manage to wrap around the handle. The tip of my sword pressed gently at his neck and I was very satisfied with myself.

"Say it" I taunted him.

He rolled his eyes but he knew he must for the fight to end.

"Yield"

His face looked defeated. I dropped my weapon and extended my hand. He accepted with a half smile and I helped him rise to his feet.

"Very clever move Jane." he congratulated, shaking my hand.

"I learned from the best." I chuckled.

"Who?" he looked genuinely confused as if he did not know that I had defeated him with his own move. If I told him he would be embarrassed so I kept it to myself.

"So Gunther, Pepper has roasted some vegetables for supper. It ought to be done by now. Would you care to join us tonight?"

I hoped that he would maybe a little more than I should. I quite enjoy his company, and he gets along quite well with my other friends as well... besides Jester that is, the two of them have some unspoken tension. It is for that reason that he rarely sits with us at meal times, though it was quite nice when he did.

"And risk accidentally swallowing one of your hairballs?" he mocked. My face dropped, But his softened. "Of course I will."

My excitement may have come a little too obviously as I was smiling ear to ear.

"Champion! I shall meet you after i've changed from my knights tunic to a more comfortable one"

He smiled back at me and I headed up the stairs to my tower. Tonight would surely be great.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gunther sat next to me at supper. Tensions were high between him and Jester as usual. Conversation remained lighthearted throughout the meal between everyone else but Gunther was silent. I could feel the tension in the air around him and when I stole a glance at him I could see the irritation on his face as he stared across the table at Jester who didn't seem to notice.

His fingers tightened on the edge of the bench next to my leg, his knuckles turning white with the tension. I stole another glance. His face was now red, seething with anger. And then, "DAMMIT!" He snapped.

All of a sudden he was yelling, in the most alluring voice, a string of vile words towards my friend. His hand fell protectively on my lower back as he cursed the courts jester. I didn't comprehend the words that he was saying because my face was growing more and more heated. I couldn't tell if I was blushing from the new physical contact or if I was just fuming at the scene laid out before me.

We were all standing now. Pepper looked morbidly terrified and Rake had already left the scene. Smithy and Dragon were both idly watching though the former had a look of discontent while the latter was unmistakably amused.

Gunther's hand never left my back. Jester spewed out a few curses of his own towards my partner to which he combatted with "Shut it you worthless weasel!"

Jester lunged at my fellow squire who then pushed him to the ground. I drew my sword quickly aiming it towards him.

"Enough Gunther!" I commanded.

"Jane I..." He couldn't get a word in before Jester lunged again. Gunther was stupid enough to fight back.

Between a knight and a fool one can clearly tell who is the weaker party. Gunther could kill Jester easily without meaning to. So without any knowledge of why this fight had broke out in the first place I decided to fight on the fool's behalf.

As Gunther aimed to throw a punch I stepped between the two. I faced my partner in a fighting stance chastising myself for drawing my dragon sword rather than picking up my practice sword that was right next to me. Gunther tried to move around me to get to Jester but I blocked him carefully with the sharp end of my blade.

"You'll kill him Gunther. If you wish to fight then fight me." I reasoned.

"Jane you don't understand, I..."

"I do not care Gunther you do not want his blood on your hands." I interrupted.

He seemed to consider for a second before drawing his own weapon. We circled around one another while our terrified friends watched. I made the first move carefully and he countered perfectly. I was sure to be careful not to hit him anywhere vital if I ever did manage a blow. He did not make it easy. He only countered, never attacked, but as he was doing so he was pressing me backwards so much that if I didn't walk the way he was pressing I would have fallen over for sure. He kept pressing me back with every counter move that I soon found myself almost tripping when my ankle backed up against a stair.

I landed a blow to his left arm leaving only a small cut. It barely bled but I felt tremendously guilty as I walked backwards up the stairs. God why didn't I pick up my practice sword instead. He didn't even flinch.

He used his moves to back me into my own room. I did not understand why. It must have looked ridiculous, two knights in training combatting with swords in a small bedroom. Even more ridiculous that before backing me into a wall he used his foot to close my door as if the combat required privacy.

With my back to the wall I attempted a few more jabs at him which he blocked with ease before using his own weapon to knock mine out of my hand. It landed on the floor next to his left foot. He kicked it away managing to keep me from moving by aiming his blade dangerously close to my throat. I put my hands up in surrender.

He used his left hand to grab both of my dainty wrists and pin them to the wall before tossing his sword behind him. He stepped closer to me. I could feel the heat radiating off his body which in turn brought another kind of heat to my cheeks. He towered over me standing dangerously close, still pinning me to the stone wall behind me.

He let out a stress filled sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes squeezed shut. Whatever had caused all of this was really getting to him. It was time to talk.

"Gunther what on earth..." I started

"He's in love with you Jane, can't you see that!?" He questioned intensely.

"Oh," I flushed. "But if that is true, why should it bother you?" I asked.

He ran his right fingers through his hair and shook his head.

"I don't know Jane..I Dont...It shouldn't but... ugh its just," he let go of my hands and turned around to sit on my bed. I stood in front of him now.

"He was... looking at... you, I" his eyes wondered lower then back up to mine.

"At me?" I questioned.

"At your chest Jane! He was staring at your chest." He was clearly disgusted by that. "I was just,"

"Defending my honor?" I finished.

He nodded.

I sat next to him on the bed. I pulled him in for a hug, touched that he would do that for me, and finally understanding why he didn't fight me back. We stayed like that for a moment before it was time to talk again.

"I pity him." I started.

"Who? Jester?" I nodded in reply. "Why?" he asked.

"Because if what you say is true, I cannot return his affections." I admit sadly. I'd never want to hurt him, but I only see him as a friend.

"Oh." He sounded less stressed than before. Almost relieved. "So if he doesnt hold your affections, someone else does?" I couldn't tell if he was teasing or asking genuinely. Either way my face heated again.

"Actually," we both leaned in closer to each other. "they might."


End file.
